


Unspoken Pleas

by Catchinglikekerosene



Series: Requests and Drabbles [25]
Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Complicated Relationships, Exes, F/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:21:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28819173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catchinglikekerosene/pseuds/Catchinglikekerosene
Summary: Set a few days after For All The Lies, they run into one another at the grocery store.Prompt:1. don't leave2. this was a mistake
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)
Series: Requests and Drabbles [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828768
Kudos: 3





	Unspoken Pleas

**Author's Note:**

> i didn't put this fic as a fatl part 2 just because it's a small, unedited drabble. and i'm not so sure i want to follow up fatl officially.

A couple days after Harper’s engagement party in Cape Cod, Becca was at the grocery store in Bryce’s new neighborhood stocking his cupboards. It was the least she could do after eating all his cheese and polishing off a few bottles of wine. Even adding a few more essentials to his repertoire -- his culinary skills haven’t much improved over the years. 

She was waiting at the deli counter when she ran into _him_. 

Ethan and Rebecca exchanged pleasantries, as you do when you run into the one that got away. 

“When do you fly back?” he asked. 

“Next week,” she simply responded. 

Becca tried hard not to shift on her feet, desperately trying to school her features. She certainly did not want him to know how uncomfortable she really was. The dance and his confession still haunting her conscience. 

Ethan’s clear azure eyes never faltered from her. He’s lived a little more than 800 days without her and in the last seven she’s materialized before him, like some sort of dubious goddess. 

Her gaze kept flickering to the butcher, willing him to work faster. To give her an out before she could fall back into the man she hadn’t realized until recently still clung to her heart. 

“Have you had a chance to visit your mother?” Ethan was grasping at straws. A million questions he’s wanted to ask - to know about the woman she’s flourished into - yet he recognized his place. He’d done this to himself. He lost all ability to befriend her now. 

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try. 

_She_ taught him it was never too late to try.

“Yeah, actually,” a genuine smile broke through her demeanor as she thought of her mom. “I went to see her before coming up here.” 

“How is she? Still the same?” 

Becca couldn’t help the chuckle; “Still crazy as ever and hates her job even more. Already planning retirement and picking furniture for her room at our -” her eyes went wide as she realized she let her private life slip. He could know she belongs to someone else but nothing more. Quickly she recovered, “At my place. She’s hoping to spend a few months living with me and travelling.” 

“As she should,” Ethan forced a smile back. He had to ignore the sting that coursed through his entire being at the subtle reminder that she was engaged and planning a life with someone else. 

The awkward conversation lasted much longer than Becca had hoped, as if the stringent attending was giving her all the time in the world. She cursed her want to serve Bryce a lovely homecooked meal. If she didn’t stop at the counter she probably could have avoided Ethan completely - could have gone the rest of her life without seeing him once more. 

Finally, the butcher handed her the things she ordered. Becca thanked him with a smile. She turned to Ethan so quickly, the smile sitting on her lips forced, holding up her wrapped meats as a signal. One Ethan didn’t care to acknowledged. The action so banal. And yet he knew this was the very last time. 

Everything in him was urging him to beg. To ask her to grab a coffee like old times. To keep her here in front of him answering his questions - or not. He didn’t care. He just missed her entire being. His entire body was willing him to try. His mind was pleading; 

_Don’t leave_. _Stay here just a little longer. Please don’t go._

They both went to speak at the same time. 

At the interruption both made a small hum, and neither ended up saying a thing. 

Ocean eyes met sweet espresso one more earth-shattering time. 

And they held one another’s gaze just long enough for the poignant unsaid words to swirl between them; 

_This was a mistake._


End file.
